Constructive Criticism

Let me just start off by saying that I think blogging is a great idea! It gives a sense of interacting with the "real world" rather than just communicating with fellow students via BB. I have often thought of starting a mommy blog but have been too timid to get it going, and by somewhat being forced to blog helps to ease the process. And like most things in life, it isn't as bad or scary as I had originally thought it would be. It will also be helpful to have feedback from others, especially from other OTs and OTAs once this blog goes public.

Switching gears...I also was kinda forced to participate in another activity that was at first rather intimidating this week. My fellow students and I had to give and receive constructive criticism in our last Psychosocial Dysfunction session . It also wasn't as bad as it could have been, however, I am also to assume that everyone who participated wasn't as blatantly honest as they wanted to be. I think sometimes the exercises that we are given do not seem pertinent on how to treat patients, but it is important to be on the other side and feel what it must be like for out future patients to hear things about themselves that aren't positive or something that they need to change about themselves in order to get back to their prior level of function. That's why it is important to also reinforce the positive aspects of a person at the same time, so it doesn't appear as though they are just being picked on. Just as Skinner states in our text, we tend to repeat behaviors that elicit positive responses from others. I have provided a link with suggestions on how to give & receive constructive criticism.